Electric cane.



.9. ,9 lulu! C. e D d e l n e l a DI N. A M R E H s N. W

ELECTRIC CANE.

(Annication filed Feb. 4, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Ima/e nm.

THE mams Evans co, woommo.. wAsmNumN, u c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IVALTER N. SHERMAN, OE MERCED, CALIFORNIA.,

ELECTRIC CAN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,690, dated December 19, 1899. Application tiled February 4, 1899. Serial No. 704,576. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER N. SHERMAN, a citizen f the United States, residing at Merced, in the county of Merced and State of California, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Canes, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to an improved electric cane, stick, or umbrella, the object of my 1o invention being to provide a cane or similar article with a battery and other electric apparatus and with a handle so constructed and arranged with reference to the apparatus that a medical battery can be substituted for an electric-light device in the cane, the same handle being employed in both cases, and, further, to provide an improved construction of such a cane for use with a medical battery.

My invention also resides in the novel conzo struction, combination, and arrangement of the parts hereinafter fully speciiied, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying` drawings, Figure 1 is a section of the upper portion of the cane, shown as in use with an electric-light apparatus. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the improved arrangement for a medical battery in a cane. Fig. 3 is a section of the upper part of the cane, showing the arrangement 3o when the battery is in use without being removed from the cane; and Fig. 4 is a broken side elevation of the tube containing the battery removed from the cane for operation.

1 represents the body of the cane, which is 3 5 made of ebony or other suitable wood or niaterial, and 2 the cane-handle, secured upon said body at 3. The upper portion of the body is hollow, as shown at 4f, to receive the apparatus for generating the electric current. 4o A tube 5, preferably of brass, closed at the lower end, contains the said generating apparatus and may be inserted into and withdrawn from the cavity 4t of the body of the cane, and in said tube are arranged a plurality of dry cells 6. The tube 5 is closed above the cells 6 by the hard-rubber plate 7, having electrodes 8 and 9 at the center and circumference, respectively. The positive pole 10 of the upper cell contacts with the central elec- 5o trode 8 and its wall11 rests upon the positive pole of the cell below it, and so on, if there are more than two cells, a spring 13 in the bottom of the tube insuring good contacts between said poles and walls. Said spring 13 also forms the connection between the wall of the lowest cell and the brass tube, and thence to the electrode 9. The inner surface of the tube 5 is suitably insulated, as byinsulatingpaint. In this way the cells are connected up 1n series.

Upon the hard-rubber plate 7 is mounted a standard 15, of insulating material, into which is screwed the base 16 of a small incandescent lamp 17. A short ring 18, having mounted therein at its outer end the lens 19, occupies the open short end of the handle 2. The standard 15 supports the wires 2O and 21 from the electrodes 8 and 9 to the lamp, one of said wires 21 being also carried to the top of said standard and there broken by an electric 7o push-button 22, inserted in a socket or aperture 23, formed in the top of the handle in line with the vertical center of the cane. There is inserted in the cavity 4c of the cane the tube 2t, containing the cells G, plate 7, 75 electrodes S 9, and induction apparatus, com prising the prima-ry coil 26, secondary coil 27, core 28, shield 29, and interrupter 30.

31 and 32 are electrodes in the base 33 of the apparatus adapted to contact with the 8o electrodes S 9 and complete the usual circuit from the cells to the interrupter and primary coil of the induction apparatus. The upper portion of the apparatus is closed by a hard-rubberhead 35, having a flange 3G, which 85 rests upon the upper edge of the cane-body and is held between said edge and an annular shoulder 37 in the handle 2. Electrical contact-sockets 39 are provided in said head 35, connected with the primary and secondary 9o coils of the apparatus and adapted to receive cord-tips for conducting the currents. The handle 2 is closed at each end by removable screw-caps 40. At the short end there is arranged an adjustable insulating-plate al, carrying electrical sockets 42, and in the longer end of the handle are carried the nested cylindrical electrodes 4:3, the Sponges elet, and cords or covered wires 45. The shield 29 for varying the induction extends into the aperloo ture 23 in the top of the handle and is provided with a small knob or catch by which it can be drawn out from over the core.7

It will be seen that by this arrangement the same handle can be used with an electriclight apparatus and with a medical battery in a cane and that the cane can be used for either purpose with very little change.

The induction apparatus maybe used either in or outside the cavity 4. If the former, the tube 2l, which contains the induction apparatus and cells, is withdrawn from the cavity and laid on any suitable support, and the cord-tips are inserted in the sockets 39, the electrodes 43 being attached thereto, as shown in Fig. 'l. It it is desired to use the apparatus while in the cane, the cap l0 at the short end of the handle is removed, as shown in Fig. 3, and the cord-tips inserted in the sockets 42, which have been connected by wires inside the handle with the socket I claim- I. In an electric cane or the like, the combination of a hollow body, a hollow handle screwed on the top of said body and having through its easing an aperture in line with the central vertical axis of said body, a bat-- tery in said hollow body, au electrical device supported axially above said battery and electrically connected therewith, and a current-controller supported by said device and movable axially in the aperture in the handle to vary a current in said device, substantially as described.

2. In an electric cane or the like, the coinbination with the hollow body, ot' a hollow handle screwed on the top of said body, said handle having a socket in line with the central vertical axis of said body, and an induction apparatus and a dry cell in said body, the shield of said apparatus extending` out from said body through said handle in to said socket, substantially as described.

In an electric cane or the like, the combination of a hollow body, a tube therein, a battery in said tube and an induction apparatus iixedly held thereby, a removable handle and a shield for said induction apparatus, said shield being movable upward or in the direction of said handle from said tube, body, and induction apparatus, substantially as described.

4. In'an electric cane or the like, the combination of a hollow body, a tube therein, a battery in said tube, primary and secondary coils and a core at the upper end ol said tube, an interrupter interposed between the latter apparatus and the battery, and a shield extending upward around said core, and drawn upward therefrom to vary the induction, substantially as described.

5. In an electric cane or the like, the combination of a hollow body, a battery therein, a plate thereon having electrodes, an induction apparatus comprising` a base having electrodes adapted to contact with the electrodes of the plate, said base carrying an interrupter, comprising also primary and secondary coils, a core, and a movable induction-shield,

t and an insulating-head having contact-sockets therein, substantially as described.

(3. In an electric cane or the like, the combination of a hollow body, a battery and induction apparatus therein, a flanged insulating-head with suitable contact-sockets at the top of said apparatus, said flange resting on said body, and a handle screwed onto said body and having a shoulder abutting against said flange, substantially as described.

7. In an electric cane or the like, the combination of a hollow body, a tube therein, a battery in said tube and an induction apparatus supported thereby, a flanged insulating-head, with suitable contact-sockets, at the top ot said apparatus, said flange resting on said body, and a handle screwed onto said body and havinga shoulder abutting against said flange, substantially as described.

8. In an electric cane or the like, the combination of a hollow body, a battery and induction apparatus therein an insulz'tting-head, with suitable contact-sockets, at the top of said apparatus, a handle screwed onto said body, and an insulating-plate in said handle having contact-sockets connected by wires with the sockets in the head, substantially as described.

9. In an electric cane or the like, the combination of a hollow body, a tube therein, a battery in said tube and an induction apparatus'supported thereby, an insulating-head, with suitable contact-sockets, at the top ot' said apparatus, a handle screwed onto said body, and an insulatiiig-platc in said handle having contact-sockets connected by wires with the sockets in the head, substantiallyas described.

l0. In an electric cane or the like, the coinbination, with the hollow body, of a hollow handle screwed on the top of said body, an induction apparatus and a dry cell in said body, the shield of said apparatus extending out from said body through said handle to the outside thereof and adapted to be drawn therefrom to vary the induction, removable caps for the ends of the handle, an insulatingplate in one end of the handle having contacts connected with the induction apparatus, and metallic electrodes and attachments for the induction apparatus in the other end of the handle, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IVALTER N. SHERMAN.

Witnesses FRANK H. Fanarts., J. F. McSwAiN.

IOO

IOS

IIO 

